© 2017 | The official magazine for Published by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco Dutch businesses visiting Silicon Valley

SILICON VALLEY playbook

René Bonvanie of Palo Alto Networks shares his insights for startups coming to Silicon Valley fix your cap table! WHAT INVESTORS

Flyr founder Alexander Mans explains how he managed WANTto build a successful business inTO Silicon Valley KNOW

Everything you have always wanted to know talk founder about moving to San Francisco to founder Super Evil Megacorp Co-founder Tommy Krul on his adventures as a Dutch Game Coder in Silicon Valley taking the big plunge super evil megacorp

Plus: Plus: Plus: Plus:

prepare your go build that work hard, read about the journey with a killer pitch play hard: the other side of visual toolbox deck best spots at night silicon valley Foreword

You are in charge of 02 your own success!

The Inside Silicon Valley Playbook Thank you to the following people was published by the Consulate (without you this magazine could General of the Netherlands in San never have been created!): Silicon Valley is a unique place. The buzz is palpable and infectious. Francisco Competition is relentless. Everyone is working on something big. The Consulate General of the More about Production, design, content and Netherlands in San Francisco : Everywhere you look there are people who can help enrich your interviews by 30X Amsterdam and Gerbert Kunst | Michiel Engelaar | experience. And everyone is willing to share in order to help Startup Delta Business Models Inc. San Francisco Jasper Smit | Alexander Kramer others succeed. For general information about this Investors, founders and experts: publication, please contact us. Ronald Goossens (ASML) | Derk de Korver (Google) | Marloes van Many Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have shared their Consulate General of the Schaijk (Osborne Clark) | Alexander experiences and best practices in this Playbook to give you Netherlands in San Francisco Mans (Flyr) | Marco ten Vaanholt http://nlintheusa.com/holland-in- (BootUp) | Tommy Krul (Super a head start and support you on your journey. Grab this the-valley | [email protected] Evil Megacorp) | JP Van Seventer opportunity! You are in charge of your own success. (Dutch Game Garden) | Dennis Thirty X Amsterdam Goedegebuure (Fanatics Inc) | Klaas Creative direction, design, additional Broekhuizen (Correspondent FD) | Go to Silicon Valley to learn, to test, to create. Be content | www.thirty-x.com | Erik Monique van Schaïk (Ebay) | Pieter proactive. Have a plan. Start to develop your network. van der Pluijm | [email protected] | Doevendans (Ava) | Salar al Khafaji @eeevdp (Silk) | Remco van den Elzen | René Know what you are looking for, and realize there is a lot Bonvanie (Palo Alto Networks) | you don’t already know. Business Models Inc San Francisco Wybe Schutte (Newzoo) | www.businessmodelsinc.com Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau | Research, content, interviews (StartupDelta) | Rens de Jong (BNR We would love to bring this spirit back to The | Maaike Doyer | maaike@ & RTLZ) | Arthur van Hoff (JauntVR) businessmodelsinc.com | Justin | Coen Tijhof (Adyen) | Maarten van Netherlands; a spirit of sharing while competing. You, Lokitz | justin@businessmodelsinc. Lieshout (Thirty X) and the entrepreneurs before you, are the bridges between com Photo: www.samsung.com/nl Special thanks to: Silicon Valley and The Netherlands. Copyright ©2017 Consulate General Over 30 Dutch startups that of the Netherlands in San Francisco. participated in our survey, and 50 All rights reserved. Dutch entrepeneurs that contributed during their visit to Silicon Valley! Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau All credits for photography lie with their respective owners, see photo Continue captions. StartupDelta This is your 03 guide book for Silicon Valley.

A trip to the valley should be a wild ride. This magazine captures that feeling. We invite you to dive into the deep end, and immerse yourself completely.

If you turn this page, brace yourself for the world of tomorrow. This is your guide book. Continue 04 BUCKLE UP! YOU’RE ENTERING SILICON

VALLEY#NLinSV

Continue INTERVIEW You’ve made the decision to go to 05 Silicon Valley. Awesome! You must “realize this is a big step. You have made the decision to black out a couple of days on your calendar to work on the future of your company instead of focusing on the business of today and the shit of yesterday.

ENJOY THE RENS DE JONG ANCHORMAN & KEYNOTE SPEAKER, BNR & RTLZ

Continue RIDE.Photo: Jeroen Oerlemans // ENJOY THE RIDE

WHERE TO define what DON’T HOLD NOW GO START? you want to BACK VISIT THE 06

>> Now that you’ ve made this learn Getting inspired in Silicon Valley FUTURE! decision, where to start? Every Next, define what you want to is easy. Doing something with this Go to Silicon Valley. Go visit the journey starts with preparation. learn. What are the main high level inspiration once you are back in The future. And after you have had a The first thing is to force yourself questions you want input on? And Netherlands is the difficult part. couple of meetings, rent a bicycle. to read a lot. About everything. Get what are the two to three high Catch some fresh air and allow informed about what is happening level questions you want to ask Make sure you are not going to everything to sink in. Smile, you are in the world, and in Silicon Valley. to get input? Make sure you ask Silicon Valley on your own. Bring in Silicon Valley. these questions to everyone you team members. You have to inspire What is happening in the field of meet, at every level. By doing this and motivate each other to keep You took the first steps to make technology and innovation? What consistently, you will create your on working on the future of your your company future proof. And, by are the business models of the own data set. company, instead of only focusing taking the first steps you’re already future? What are the upcoming on the business of today. halfway there! trends? Not only today’s trends, And be prepared for the but also about trends 20 or 30 unexpected. You don’t know upfront We as Dutchies are incredibly years from now. Read books, read where you will acquire the most good at relativizing, and trying to magazines, read blog posts! Warren valuable insights. Be open to downplay what we see and hear. Buffet blocks two hours every day to discover the things you don’t know Don’t. You are only trying to comfort read. How much time will you spend yet. yourself. To lull yourself to sleep. reading in preparation for your trip? Be open. Step into the big world Once you are in Silicon Valley, you and embrace uncertainty. What makes Sili- Be aware that everyone in Silicon will start to realize Americans are con Valley tick? Valley, really everyone, from really good in thinking global, Only by taking a leap will you move engineer to CEO, is extremely thinking big. yourself and your company forward knowledgeable about almost and learn. everything. It is like everyone got They know how to package their their MBA from a design school. story. Step into this global thinking. This means you can go into depth Put yourself and your company on a much faster compared to what you global scale. What is the impact you are used to in the Netherlands. Be want to make in the world? Before prepared for this. your trip Back to Section last screen color coding Menu

Page number 07 PART 1: Learn how to Before prepare for your Your How trip to Silicon Trip Valley Related Cross References Fast tracks

Test your ideas to by failing fast PART 2: Find everything During your need to know to im- Your use prove your stay Trip this Chapter Jumps PART 3: Reflect and take After action after you play returned from Your the Valley Trip book 08

SILICON VALLEY FUNDAMENTALS PART 1: Where is Silicon Valley? WHAT MAKES SILICON VALLEY TICK? It’s the Ecosystem, Stupid! Sharing is Caring

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SILICON VALLEY As featured on DWDD

INTO THE REAL DRAGON’S DEN BEFORE The Investment Ecosystem Interview with Investors What Investors Look For Boost Your Business YOUR Hacks for Better Meetings SILICON VALLEY TOOLKIT Anatomy of a Killer Pitch Deck Silicon Valley is unlike any other Hacks for a Better Pitch place you’ve ever been. Sure, we TRIPmay drive the same cars and use FINAL PREPARATIONS the same interwebz. But, when Packing, Apps & Reading you’re here you’ll start to notice how different it is…how special. DEPARTURE CHECKLIST The next few pages will help you Are You Ready for the Valley? to familiarize yourself with what you’re about to see. DURING YOUR TRIP Take me to the next chapter! So, you’ve decided to make a trip to Silicon Valley to get inspired, pitch your idea, fund your start-up 09 or perhaps even get rich (by doing all of the above). An important first step, no doubt.

However, before you simply launch into what you think is Silicon Valley, it’s best to really understand what it is you’re getting into.

YOUR PRIME DIRECTIVE:

IMMERSE Continue YOURSELFPhoto: Creative Commons / Unsplash.com BERKELEY UNIVERSITY Let's start with some geography. If you didn’t already know it, ALCATRAZ what you’re calling Why is this important to know? OAKLAND Silicon GOLDEN GATE is actually three People who work and live in San Valley 010 distinct areas that are part a large Francisco don’t think of themselves geographic area, called the San as working and living in Silicon Francisco Bay Area – the Bay Area Valley. Likewise, people from SAN FRANCISCO for short. It's made up of nine Oakland will always carry their counties and more than “East Bay” flag and not one that 7 million people! hails San Francisco or Silicon Valley. SAN FRANCISCO BAY

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

MILBRAE SILICON SAN MATEO The areas you’re probably here Moreover, each of these areas – to visit are San Francisco, the including the other cities/counties VALLEYactual Silicon Valley (the cities and not mentioned here – has a distinct counties from San Mateo to San feel and culture. Jose), and Oakland.

MENLO PARK PALO ALTO

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

MOUNTAIN VIEW SILICON VALLEY SANTA CLARA SAN JOSE The dots on the map represent SUNNYVALE What makes startup concentrations. There are the valley tick? CUPERTINO over 27000 startups in the Bay Area, about 10% of the most important The investment ones are plotted here. ecosystem

Data Visualization: Thirty X LOS GATOS TO L.A. (8 HRS) 011

It’s the ecosystem, stupid! WHAT

At this moment, somewhere in the Bay Area, someone is engineering MAKES a way to disrupt your world. Silicon Valley is a true petri dish of innovation. Since the beginning, algorithms and breaking rules have been at the core of everything – SILICON from autonomous vehicles to crypto currency, from the sharing economy to open source, from patent trolls to artificial intelligence, and from Continue synthetic biology to artificial life. >> VALLEY Photo: Public Domain TICK? entrepreneurs. Many startups actually start in some of the world “why Is this SHARING IS HIGH TECH HIGH renowned universities located here. region so CARING RISK Google didn’t start in a garage. 012 unique?” HIGH GAINS Sergey and Larry founded it while As you’ll read in the pages, we they were students at Stanford. When people ask Silicon Valley share everything here. And, as A big part of that distorted reality Same goes for Snapchat. And this locals why this region is so unique, such, news about new apps, ideas, can be seen in our extreme cost isn’t happenstance. Universities the likely answer is that Silicon companies, meet-ups, interesting of living. Because Silicon Valley is here teach entrepreneurship as a Valley’s uniqueness, its specialness, people, etc. travels insanely fast. where the majority of the world’s VC trade. comes from the fact that it is a We absorb all of that news and money exists, this is where startup bubble, housed inside of a bubble, implement those ideas – and unicorns are found. And because that contains its own (somewhat) install those apps – right then and lots of entrepreneurial people want self-sustaining ecosystem. there. In a sense, you can think of to be here (whether that’s for the IT’S AN this area as its own sales channel. weather or the aforementioned ECOSYSTEM As you can probably imagine this money and unicorns), the cost of creates an environment that feeds living here is astronomical. And When you put these factors PERMANENT on itself and distorts reality. that’s not just rent; it’s everything together, you’ll find that Silicon TiME WARP from rent to groceries to drinks at Valley is indeed a very unique The investment the bar. However, with that high ecosystem. Universities spit out ecosystem When we, in Silicon Valley, start cost of living come huge potential tech talent; startups are generated; using new apps meant to make our rewards. Think about it this way: big companies hire said talent and What investors lives easier, whether those are food High tech. High risk. High Expense. acquire companies; and everyone want to know delivery apps, transportation apps, High rewards. feeds off of what’s been created or even dog poop-picker-upper right here in our backyard. Are we apps (yes, that’s a real app… at least, in a bubble? Hell yes! And we feel over here it is), we’re astonished to fine! hear that no one else in the world STARTUP PETRI has heard about them. And it’s not DISH just the apps. It’s everything. Silicon valley is in a permanent time warp, Another interesting thing you’ll find ahead of the rest of the planet. And here is the strange comingling of that has a lot to do with the Silicon students, startups, and companies. Valley mindset. In Silicon Valley, startups are The Silicon not just ideas hatched by serial Valley Mindset

Data Visualization: Thirty X 013 SHARING IS

The conference bike, a typical Silicon Valley Silicon Valley has an embedded way of combining brainstorming culture of sharing – ideas (including with exercise half-baked ideas), resources, time, effort, contacts, knowledge etc. The CORE VALLEY key here is that many companies are willingCARING to share in order to create (and capture) more value. WhileMINDSET these seem simply like And, individually, by creating value regulatory nuances, they have for each other, most people believe created an environment where they will capture value in the anyone can leave any company at future. There is a perceived karmic anytime and startup a competing value bank here. company (or go to work for a Test your competitor) without fear that there mindset! Part of the sharing culture is will be legal consequences. also an interesting regulatory So, the smart people talent pool environment that exists in few here shifts and changes and learns, places in the world outside of all the while creating interesting California. Basically, non-compete new things and businesses which contracts are not enforceable. would otherwise be stifled by Compounding this is the fact that regulations, lawsuits, or threats. California is an at-will employment Those don’t exist here… unless A brief history of state. someone steals IP. Silicon Valley

Photo: flickr / byronknoll 014

ONLINE VIDEO DWDD UNIVERSITY THE SILICON VALLEY SERIES skip video and continue

Photo: Wiebke Wilting - www.wiebkewilting.nl Bay Area The Bay Area is home to the second It should be no surprise that there UnicornsStartups with a valuation largest cluster of Fortune 500 are a variety of investment entities of over $1 Billion Companies in the United States that you might want to know about. 015 and encompasses 25% of all global The following pages should help to

The Netherlands venture capital investments. get your bearings. 1 48# total Uber INVESTMENT AirBnB

Dropbox Decacorns 4 > $10 Billion Snapchat ECOSYSTEM What investors want to know INVESTMENT VOLUME

The Netherlands 5 Ways to fund 300 The return on your startup investment investors are looking for Bay Area Tools to prepare 50,000$M Bay Area The Netherlands 1 7 million people 17 million people MEDIAN $M 27,000 startups 2,000 startups 3 More on the 10X15,000 investors 500 investors DEAL ecosystem

Infographic: Thirty X VOLUME angel investor 016 VC’S, ANGELS, Usually well-connected, wealthy individuals that participate in smaller, “seed” investment rounds. CORPORATES, Often angel investors have more appetite for risk knowing rewards ACCELERATORS, are also greater.

Startup OH MY! Accelerators & Incubators

Profit-driven programs that Venture corporate Startup studio accept open applications to Capital Firm startup A smaller, more hands-on and attend cohorts of new companies Profit-driven (typically theme- accelerators & more intimate version of an run by small founding teams. based) investment firm that incubators accelerator: a startup studio Founders have typically already develops “funds” from a small houses a few startups under one developed the initial ideas. group of limited partners (LPs) Corporate programs that accept roof. Why join an with the express purpose of open applications to attend accelerator? using those funds to invest in a classes of new companies run by Unsually the principals of the handful of promising startups. small founding teams. studio invest their personal corporate What investors time, expertise and effort into want to know The goal is to receive a 10x The focus of these programs each startup, trying to help venture arm return from investments made is to build the network and them scale. Often run by more Most Fortune 500 firms also through various startup exist ecosystem, change the corporate experienced entrepreneurs or employ their own internal strategies, such as IPOs and culture, gain access to ideas and serial entrepreneurs that already venture fund to invest in / acquisitions. technology, and create jobs to made some money. acquire startups that will give Are you ready for benefit for a wider society. them a competitive edge. funding? VC’s with whom you have made an appointment before you leave 1 017 WHEN ARE YOU Companies that might be interested to buy or license your technology READY FOR SIL- 2 Companies that are part of the same ecosystem you are in ICON VALLEY? 3 We got some very useful tips from René Visit companies that might be inter- ested in buying or licensing your Bonvanie, Chief Marketing Officer at Palo technologyPeople that offered to help you Alto Networks and board member of several 4 startups in the Bay Area. People that can tell you what you need to do if you want to settle 5 here hardly relevant. And above all their Valley, realize that for 99% of the investors. And, vitally, except for the More about Palo capital structure is a mess. It is too startups it is irrelevant to go the last one, make sure you have the Alto Networks complicated. It is a mix of holdings, Google kind of companies. The 1% appointments made before you go! FIRST FIX YOUR ‘BV’s’, or not for profits. There are a for whom this is relevant should CAP TABLE! lot of very small shareholders. Make do this only when they want to If you don’t have the first and sec- When you consider coming to the sure you clean up your structure become part of the ecosystem of ond type of appointments sched- Valley, first of all, make sure your and be prepared to compromise. such a giant. uled, stay home. capital structure (i.e. your ‘cap table’) is pure (or at least be willing And, if you are a great startup in to make it pure). the cyber ecosystem, or a talented student in math, engineering or I have seen so many startups over THE 99 PERCENT WHO SHOULD electronics, please make sure you the recent years that are actually vs google YOU VISIT? schedule an appointment with me just small companies. They are When you are scheduling your Consider this list of tips when as well! 5 ways to fund multiple years old, low growth, meetings for your trip to Silicon scheduling your meetings with your startup INVESTORS, CORPORATE VENTURE, ANGELS The decision to go this route should not be$$$ taken lightly. Not only 5 are investors famously picky and flippant – taking investment from any investor means that you will have to give up equity plus 018 some control of your company. Know what you’re getting into any WAYS why. CROWDFUNDING There are TONS of great crowdfunding options out there! Do a 4 bit of legwork and submit your idea and/or product to the sites TO that make the most. The upside here is that you’ll have $$$a whole new channel to validate some of your assumptions and refine your pitch for (close to) free. This is a no brainer.

FIND BANKS & TRADITIONAL LENDERS Though you’ll likely run into credit hurdles here, in the US, you 3 might find that Dutch banks, like American banks, offer loans with great rates for small businesses. Loan applications$$ are typically FUNDING more straightforward than going directly to investors. Plus, with some capital on the books, you will show investors that you’re a “real company”. What investors FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS want to know 2 While it might sound like begging, this is your absolute best funding option. The key here is that you MUST NOT BEG! Treat Prepare your family and friends like real, institutional investors. Pitch them killer pitch YOUR like you would any other investor. And, provide them options for 5 equity based on their investments. YOU STARTUP This is probably one you know well. In fact, there’s no getting Speak Silicon Valley 1 Bootstrap: funding your startup with your around it. If you’re not willing to invest in yourself and your own money. startup, how will you convince anyone else to? $ Why join an $accelerator? WHY JOIN AN 019 ACCELERATOR? You may have gone through There are many specialized an accelerator program accelerator programs in the already in The Netherlands, or Bay Area. Take some time to EXPERT MENTORS somewhere else in Europe. define your most urgent needs Get access to mentors, and figure out which ones are specialized in Silicon However, when you are serious best suited for you at this very Valley startups about launching in Silicon moment >> Valley, a great place to start is by joining one of the many accelerators in Silicon Valley. LEARN TO PITCH Get pitch and presentation training. And it’s not just to learn how There is a lot we can learn from the you can build your startup, way startups pitch in Silicon Valley either. There is much more to Investor Network it. Consider these reasons to Find the right investor join an accelerator program in launch your company for your company Silicon Valley. Don’t waste time figuring out how the legal environment works, learn from other startups Overview of accelerators

CULTURAL ASSIMILATION Prepare your Understand the culture, the ecosystem, killer pitch and the way of working in San Francisco

Continue an overview of some great PROGRAMS TO accelerators that have experience 020 with overseas startups. BOOSTYOUR COMPANY

BOOTUP PLUG AND PLAY WOMEN'S STARTUP LAB FOUNDERS SPACE International accelerator focused Has a strong focus on technology Focuses completely on female Very internationally focused with on ‘scale-ups’ startups. founders. robust relationships globally.

bootupventures.com/accelerator plugandplaytechcenter.com womenstartuplab.com www.foundersspace.com

68 Willow Rd, Menlo Park 440 N. Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale 405 El Camino Real, Menlo Park 450 Townsend Street, San Francisco

500 STARTUPS READWRITELABS MATTER SKYDECK (BERKELEY UNIVERSITY) Bridges the gap between Silicon Focus on Internet of Things Focus on media and media Accelerator lab associated with Valley and the rest of the world. startups. technology startups. Stanford University.

500.co readwritelabs.com matter.vc skydeck.berkeley.edu

814 Mission Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco San Francisco 421 Bryant Street, San Francisco 2150 Shattuck Avenue, Penthouse, Berkeley

Y COMBINATOR ANGELPAD TANDEM STARTX (STANFORD UNIVERSITY) Great Seed accelerator Seed Stage Accelerator Focus on mobile Accelerator lab associated with for startups angelpad.org tandemcap.com Stanford University. ycombinator.com 51 Federal Street, San Francisco 1450 Chapin Ave, Burlingame startx.com What investors want to know However big your idea is today, investors are looking for at least 10x return (and opportunity Investor Fit WHAT ALL tomorrow). In other words the Investors in Silicon Valley by 021 winning pitches and ideas never and large have specific areas of INVESTORS focus on some short-term market focus and stages by which they opportunity. They focus on long- invest. Some focus on early stage term market dynamics. education startups, others on WANT TO KNOW late stage Fintech, and others Investors in Silicon Valley Think about it this way: when somewhere else. To have a real see and hear a lot of pitches. investors consider Uber, they chance with any investor focus your seldom even think about drivers time on the ones you have a fit And, while none have a formula and taxis. It’s all about logistics (i.e. with. for success, most look for the moving people and stuff). following four things before they’ll invest a single dime. X-Factor TRACTION At the end of the day, investors Given that investors hear from invest in people as much (if not 99% of the startups they invest in people all day looking for money, more) than they do in the ideas pivot during the course of their life. it would make sense then that people have. To have a real chance A Kick-Ass This is especially true for early the most interesting teams and with any investor, you’re going Execution stage startups. So, investors are opportunities then are ones that to need to do your homework looking for teams that can not have already started in earnest. in order to find some common Team only roll with the punches, but can connections that will help investors 10 steps to suc- It can’t be said enough, investors also pivot and execute their way to Therefore, the best, most investable see something special in you – your cessful meetings don’t just invest in a cool or big success. opportunities are ones whereby unique X Factor. idea, they invest in the team that the founding team has A) already Prepare your will bring that idea – or another started building something; and B) killer pitch one – to life. “paying” customers. This not only A Dynamic shows investors that the team You might ask why is this important Market can execute together. But, that if you’ll end up hiring more people Opportunity customers want and need what anyway. Investors see it this way: they’re building. Hacks for better meetings ------> Small > People only realize after > Always send talk REALLY the fact what questions they a thank you 022 matters! should have asked. Prepare note! ------yourself thoroughly. ------$> Seriously, practice your $> In Silicon Valley, a ------chatty skills. Subjects meeting without follow up $> René Bonvanie | Palo Alto Networks > range from travel through ------is worse than no meeting at tech (don’t talk politics!) all. Send it immediately!

------> Don’t start > Don’t burn your pitch with hacks for your top VC your entire or sales life story, but prospect with practice your better a bad pitch. elevator pitch. $help > Business meetings are probably one of the main Start at the Prepare your meetingsreasons you are visiting Silicon Valley. And it is killer pitch The first 140 important to know that they work slightly different bottom of your characters are compared to the Netherlands. Use these hacks. Be prepared! list so you Where to have ------your meeting key to keep the can test your > Have your list of questions attention of pitch. Keep at hand during the meeting. your audience. practicing The second there is a silence, your story! your meeting is over. ------$> Dennis Goedegebuure | ------10 steps to suc- Fanatics > $> JP van Seventer | Dutch Game Garden > $> Arthur van Hoff | JauntVR > ------cessful meetings understand Don’t look 023 TEN STEPS TO the competi- desperate A first time mistake I often see is A SUCCESS- tive land- that people say at the start of a scape meeting ‘I am looking for 5 million’. Really understand it. And not just Don’t look for money; look for FUL INVESTOR the landscape today: look back to people that can help you. Or say what happened in the past two to you are building relationships for MEETING three years, and be able to explain the next phase of your company. why you are different. That will make you look more Insights to prepare for your interesting. It is just like dating. You investor meeting in Silicon European startups are often two won’t tell on the first date what Valley years past the hyper curve. They you really want. That is not a good might be unique in Europe, but strategy. there is a very high likelihood we $> Marco ten Vaanholt | Founder, Bootup Ventures have or had something like it in the More about US. BootUp Ventures We interviewed Marco ten Vaanholt, Most often he meets entrepreneurs a seasoned parallel Silicon Valley who believe they are ready know who entrepreneur, investor and senior Unfortunately, according you’re software executive, at the to investors, they often dutch investor meetup that are not. Don’t focus talking to was organized by the on the money Who did they invest in before? How Dutch Consulate in The Don’t focus on getting funding, much did they invest? How much Silicon Valley. following instead, focus on creating an open money do they still have left overview of educational journey. Make sure the in their fund? Can you speak to Marco has worked in common mistakes other person is incredibly educated other founders they have worked global executive positions and tips is meant about what you do. Make their time with? Do your research. Then do it at SAP, Yahoo and Oracle before to help you have more spent valuable. Often a first investor again. >> founding BootUp Ventures and the successful and less frustrating meeting is just a discovery meeting. BootUp Startup Ecosystem and now meetings. Investors want to be educated. Continue meets startup founders every day. // TEN STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL INVESTOR MEETING

024 Keep updating your pitch deck based on the meetings you have! $> JP van Seventer | Dutch Game Garden

The easiest one is to make sure questionsm and make sure it is an your marketing materials are US educational journey for you as well. be prepared, be proof and not just Dutch websites don’t be very prepared translated into English. A question could be ‘I am trying to afraid! Be prepared to go wide and deep penetrate the US market, do you If someone is passing you on to at the same time. Investors are But you can look further, as Salar have any thoughts?’ someone else, it doesn’t necessarily knowledgeable. Don’t stumble al Khafaji, founder of Silk, adds: mean they are not interested. It Where to have when I ask you ‘Can you explain make sure everything is in US might be they first want these other your meeting in two sentences what you do’? Dollars. Only use US Dollars when people to do the validation for Be very specific about your ‘why’. discussing revenues or amounts you have fast them, to see if the startup or the Realize the ‘what’ will pivot anyway. are raising. follow up concept is investment ready. And know your numbers. When someone tells me ‘I will get back to The most important one, Salar Follow up within 24 – 48 hours. you’ I know they are not ready. continues, is to make sure you have Send the investor you had a a US legal entity before you get meeting with an email with a come visit here. Investors typically don’t want summary of what you discussed, bootup! to invest in foreign legal entities. and ask if they know someone else be US-PROOF who is interested to hear more Please do stop by and have a coffee US companies and investors like about this. Leave the door open, but at BootUp when you are in the to do business with people and don’t ask directly for a follow up neighborhood! businesses that are from the US, or be open meeting. at least have every appearance of Be open to new insights. Don’t think Your visual being from the US. you have figured it all out. Ask open toolbox YOUR Visual 025 PREPARATION

As we have seen, preparation is This visual toolbox will help you Be warned though: mindlessly 1. ARE YOU everything. To survive that meeting prepare for your trip in a fast way. filling out these visual tools is READY for AN with an investor, you need to know You can even do it on the plane. not enough. Be extra thorough. It investment? TOOLBOXyour business, and your story. And to And you can also use it to rehearse might secure your future success. In Awesome, let’s The first step is an assessment. How get the most of your trip in terms of your story or to reflect on what you Silicon Valley, scoring a C won’t get get started! far along are you in your journey to inspiration and new knowledge, you have learned. you a seat at the table. build your startup? have to define what to look out for.

2. exploring 3. what is your 4. PUT A DENT IN 5. BUILD A your context business model THE UNIVERSE KILLER PITCH Next, to make sense of Silicon You must understand how your What is your vision? How will your Once you have secured a meeting, Valley, you need to understand the business will create and capture business disrupt and change the a good story is the only thing you context. Who are your competitors? value, and how it can scale. world? Think bigger. Much bigger. have to reach your goal. Keep I know everyting, Are there new trends? What else improving it! let’s skip this. are investors investing in? It’sTHE quite10/20/30 simple: Rule: a pitch should have 026 10 slides, last no more than minutes, and 20 contain no font smaller than points. 30 $> Guy Kawasaki | Apple Evangelist

Anatomy of a

KILLERWhat’s more, many investors Pitch are His rule is applicable for any Deckrefinement, which you’ll need when notorious for “multitasking” during presentation to reach agreement: you get your follow-up meeting. GRAB THEIR startup pitches. If you don’t grab for example, raising capital, making ATTENTION their attention, you’ve lost! a sale, forming a partnership, etc.

Far too often startup founders Think ten slides is too few or a be bold! waste valuable time – including thirty point font too large? Think time with investors – talking about 10/20/30 rule about this way: your goal during So, be clear, be brief, be bold, and and showing the wrong stuff. a pitch should be to get another be visual. Do so and you’ll provide The best pitch deck advice comes meeting, whether that meeting is yourself every chance to win the Sure your app is cool and the demo from Silicon Valley veteran, and to review a deal sheet or pitch to day (and get that next meeting). is slick. But, no one will care about famous Apple evangelist, Guy someone else. Boring everyone or your demo if there’s nothing to back Kawasaki. His advice is simple: Use including too much detail in your Hacks for a it up. the 10/20/30 rule of powerpoint. initial pitch doesn’t leave room for better pitch ------> $(‘Define a clear Goal’) > $(‘The A-Ha Moment’) ------Building a great story or The audience’s a-ha moment pitch is not about what is something they have to 027 you want to broadcast. hacks for a create for themselves. It It is about how you can needs to occur as a spark bring your point across in their brains. Think of in a way that matters to it as a joke. You can make your audience. You want the joke, but if you explain them to do something, it nobody will laugh. Don’t understand something, become better over-explain your a-ha interested. Make sure you moment. know exactly what your pitch should accomplish. Is it ------getting a meeting? Getting > $(‘Build your Pitch’) > $(‘Have Tryouts’) > $(‘This is the End’) an investor on board? ------Use the tool on the previous Standup comedians do When you finish the story, ------pagePitch to map out the points multiple tryouts to make really finish it. Staying > $(‘Study your Audience’) you want to make. And steal their act a success. And a on stage and continuing to ------from the best: use pitch tryout is not the same thing talk about unrelated things The next important step is deck collections online to as rehearsing the story in confuses the audience. to really understand who get inspiration! a mirror. That is just the Think about this: they will your audience members are. first step. remember the last thing you What makes them tick? What ------say. What will that be? are they looking for? > $(‘Use Speaker Notes’) Find some actual people ------(preferably from your target ------Do some research, talk to When you are telling a story audience) to listen to > $(‘Have a plan B’) people that pitched to them in public, use speaker your story. See when they ------before. And also consider notes. That way, you don’t are engaged and when they Telling a story can be what they are doing before have to tell the story get confused. When do you scary, and it won’t always you pitch to them. Are they exactly as it appears on the lose their interest? What go as planned. Come up with in a receptive state of slides – and you’ll appear questions do they have? a few “plan B” actions mind? Or are they rushed and more natural. Besides, you beforehand that you can use distracted? are able to go off-script if Use these insights to make when a point does not come Your packing list necessary. your story better. across. for Silicon Valley 028

SUNGLASSES

SNEAKERS - YOU WILL WALK A LOT IN what to pack?SAN FRANCISCO OPEN MIND! NO HIGH HEELS, SUITS, TIES, CHINOS OR BLAZERS! PASSPORT AND/OR DRIVERS LICENCE (TO GET INTO BARS)

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BANK CARD YOUR PHONE US-ACTIVATED BRING CASH! INCLUDING ALL LOTS OF PLACES NECESSARY APPS! DON'T ACCEPT CREDIT CARD CARDS OR YOUR - >SEE NEXT PAGE! US ACTIVATED CARDS MAY NOT LAYERS, LAYERS, LAYERS! WITH PINCODE WORK!

BOTH SEXES, ALL YEAR ROUND: YOU CAN T-SHIRT, SWEATER, JACKET, JEANS. NEVER BRING THE CLIMATE IN SAN FRANCISCO ENOUGH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM BUSINESS THE REST OF SILICON VALLEY. CARDS. AND YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR SUIT / TIE / BAZER / CHINOS AT HOME :)

NOTEBOOK JEANS TO KEEP NOTES YOU CAN REVISIT AFTER YOUR TRIP TAKE STROOP- YOGA PANTS WAFELS. FOR THE LADIES PEOPLE FROM HERE LOVE THEM!

X.com

(CAR)CHARGERS & MANDATORY: BRANDED BATTERY PACK SHIRT / SWEATER WITH Must have apps AND MIND THE THE NAME & LOGO OF CONVERSION! YOUR STARTUP for your trip Google Maps Techcrunch Find your way around. The best source of Tip: download maps! knowledge 029 Uber Linkedin Get an uber taxi Everyone is on quickly linkedin.

Lyft No Whatsapp The taxi service with Funny enough, people the Moustache don’t use Whatsapp! In Silicon Valley, there is an app Moovit CalTrain for everything. We have listed the Public Transport made An easy way to travel top picks here to help you get super easy south in the valley around and find resources.

Essential Yelp Roaming Hunger appsBonus challenge: spot the HQ of Find the best places Find where that crazy the apps you have on your phone to eat and to meet good food truck is! while using the app!

Cuppings SF MoMa If you are looking for When you want to the best coffee grab some culture

TripAdvisor Expensify Your Demo Find more places to Track your expenses If you have a demo or eat and to meet without any hassle something to show, make sure it’s on Mr Chilly Xe Currency speed dial! Get to know the Valley Find out exactly what More relevant Microclimates that Macbook costs sites and sources Dive into the maker movement Now that the popular show, Mythbusters, has ended, Adam Savage and his team of makers run a YouTube where you humblerise: video pitch resources 030 can see new experiments and inventions. Founders post video pitches of their company or idea for other founders and investors to see. This is a great way to get attention and inspiration for your own pitch.

techcrunch Whether it is the address of a VC or the next best thing in tech, you can be quite sure to find it on Techcrunch.

resources on investing and funding Read every post on VentureHacks, the precursor to Angellist, and in my opinion the most unbiased and highest quality resource available on the web today. $> Salar al Khafaji | Founder, Silk get the

Documentary: design disruptors latest Design Disruptors, released August 1, 2016, represents deep conversations with over 90 top product designers and news! design leaders from today’s most disruptive and significant companies. get your fix on HBO Check out the show Silicon Valley dutchies (&Others) to follow on twitter on HBO if you want to get a more @nlinsf | @dutch_goose | @derkdekorver | @alexandermans | @jmlokitz | humoristic insight in startup life. @krultommy | @jpvanseventer | @thenextcorner | @klaasbroekhuize | @moniquevschaik | @p_doevendans | @salar | @rvdelzen | @renebonvanie | @wschutte | @constantijnvo | @rensdejong | @coentijhof | @the_jaspr | Reading for your @maartenvl | @jonaslouisse | @maaikedoyer | @eeevdp plane ride READING 031 material

Silicon Valley: Planet Startup Elon Musk Design A Better Business Peter Ester & Arne Maas Ashlee Vance v.d.Pijl, Lokitz, Solomon, v. Lieshout & v.d. Pluijm Disruptive innovation, passionate An inside look in the life of Silicon Use design thinking to build a future entrepreneurship, high tech startups. Valley’s most daring entrepreneur. proof business.

The Hard Thing about Hard Things Chaos Monkeys Google Sprint Ben Horowitz Antonio Garcia Martinez Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky & Braden Kowitz Building a business when there are no Obscene fortune and random failure in Solve big problems and test new ideas easy answers. Silicon Valley. in just five days.

Zero to One Venture Deals Think Wrong Blake Masters & Peter Thiel Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson John Bielenburg & Mike Burn How to go from zero to one and look Be smarter than your lawyer and your The way we solve problems is broken. for disruption in new places. venture capitalist. This books shows how to fix it.

Make it New Creativity, Inc. Liminal Thinking Barry M. Katz & John Maeda Ed Catmull & Amy Wallace Dave Gray An overview of the history and Overcoming the unseen forces that Learn how to think in ways that help influence of design in Silicon Valley. stand in the way of true inspiration. you change the world.

The Innovator’s Dilemma Neuromancer Maker Movement Manifesto Clayton M. Christensen William Gibson Mark Hatch When new technologies cause great Experience a glimpse of what the near What happens when physical products firms to fail. future may be like. can be made by anyone, anywhere. You have You have You have defined a reviewed researched Spend clear goal your business the No time on for your model and competition homework 032 trip. vision

Know your Business

Connecting

You You have You have prepared a introductions scheduled Use more shortlist of through a number No LinkedIn All done! people to mutual of business magic meet. connections. meetings.

Final preparations CHECKLIST You have You have filled out unblocked All your Esta your bank done! All done! Form or cards and ARE YOU other Visa credit cards YES

You have You have installed packed your READY relevant suitcase No apps on your FOR THE phone NO VALLEY? 033

PART 2: IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT Interview: Alexander Mans | Flyr

VALIDATION AND PROTOTYPING Ava: Prototyping to startup success

WHERE TO HAVE THE BEST MEETINGS What are the best places to meet?

DURING STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND Interview: Maarten van Lieshout | 30X

STARTUP STORIES Video: Techcrunch Money Talks YOUR Interview: Tommy Krul | Super Evil Speak Silicon Valley

Whether you’re dreaming about BEYOND TECH coming to Silicon Valley or you’re What is it like to live in Silicon Valley? TRIPalready here, it’s important to Biggest Cultural Differences prepare for your trip. This region The other side of Silicon Valley has a TON to offer if you know where to look. This chapter will STAY A LITTLE LONGER put you in the right mindset. Things to do and places to see So…are you ready?

AFTER YOUR TRIP Take me to the next chapter! 034

$> Alexander Mans | FLYR it’s not just about your

We interviewed Alexander Mans Why and when did you move to AM: When I see otherproduct entrepreneurs What are the things you love most (25), a true serial entrepreneur. At Silicon Valley? from The Netherlands come to about Silicon Valley? the age of twenty he had already AM: I moved to Silicon Valley Silicon Valley, the expectation is AM: What I really love about Silicon Check out the founded multiple startups. In 2013, early 2013 to build a new startup. often: ‘if I get a coffee at Starbucks, Valley is the amount of likeminded FLYR site at the age of 22, he moved to I realized it would be insanely I will run into Marc Andreessen, and people. No matter where I go, there Silicon Valley with a clear vision for difficult but I knew my biggest it is done.’ But that is not how it are likeminded people everywhere. a startup he wanted to build. market would be in the US. On works. Everyone is in sync, they all speak the East coast there are a lot of the same language, they are all Today, Alex is the founder and CTO travel companies. However, we are I spent six to nine months to incredible knowledgeable. >> of FLYR, focusing on the future of a data science company. In order really explore Silicon Valley. I built travel technology. FLYR predicts and to find the best developed mix of my network. I identified possible In The Netherlands you often see manages price volatility of travel engineers, investors and ecosystem investors. I looked into competitive that mediocrity is considered good products, enabling a broad range of I chose Silicon Valley. companies. Only after that I started enough. Not in Silicon Valley. We insurance and financial derivative to raise funds. I learned a lot during all strive for the impossible all the products sold through partners like What is the biggest misconception this period. time. Everyone here is focused on Continue TripAdvisor and Priceline. people have when they arrive? the next big thing. >>

Photo: Alexander Mans People that move to Silicon Valley How did your own mindset shift in vision. You need to build a bond all want to break away from the 4 Tips BY the time you have been here? between the employee, yourself, average and think outside of the AM: In the beginning, I was purely and the company. That is way box. Alexander product focused. I am an engineer. I stronger than a paycheck. 035 thought the only way people would What do you really need to survive invest in my company is by building Where do you look when you’re 1 No competitions. in Silicon Valley? Participating in pitch competitions, the best product. hiring new people? AM: Not everyone will survive in to find an angel investor, is time AM: My go-to source for new Silicon Valley. It requires a specific wasted. The majority of these But it is not about the product! I hires is AngelList’s Alist.co hiring AngelList’s kind of personality. Don’t give up angels only sign one check per year. lost a lot of time focusing on the platform. It’s a great platform Alist.co easily. You need to be a thinker and solution. It is about your vision and to filter what you need and to doer at the same time. The standard about you. That’s what you need to approach potential employees for 2 Do your research. deviation between the highs and I spend a lot of time researching talk about. Don’t pitch your product, coffee. lows is much larger here. Every potential investors. There are so pitch your vision and why you are startup will go through highs and many out here. Understand what the one that will solve the problem. What would be the final thing you lows more often than you could type of startups they are interested want to tell people that want to have imagined at first. in. See which companies they’ve Investors want to understand what come here? already funded. problem you are trying to solve. AM: The most important thing Life is insanely expensive in Silicon And, they need to trust you will be before you come here is that you Valley. There will be a moment capable of solving that problem, must be convinced that Silicon 3 Founder to founder. where you see your cash balance Founder to founder networking regardless of the proposed solution. Valley is the best place to achieve shrinking faster than anticipated. really works well. Once you That has been a huge difference your vision. That is the very moment pressure understood which startups your compared to the investment eco will increase. The risk of failure preferred investors have funded, system in The Netherlands. Next to that, realize there is a increases every day. And to keep up approach the founder of that lot you don’t know. Be prepared while trying to avoid failure you’ll startup. Have a meeting with them What is it like to hire people here? to put of lot of time and effort work 24/7. to really understand the investor. AM: Well, it’s the same, actually. You understanding this and learning need to be able to share your vision from it before you move to Silicon These low moments distract you when you are building a team. Valley. 4 Warm introductions. from the core, the reason why you Approaching an investor directly started this company. It will be hardly ever works. A founder of I needed people on a shoestring easier to start to doubt your goals, another startup may know a person budget, and the fight for good your success. It requires a specific who can make a warm introduction engineers is intense. It’s crazy mindset to get through this. to the investor you are looking for. competitive. People will only join Failure is always you because they believe in your an option Speak Silicon Valley Failing Forward: Turning mistakes you made into stepping stones to success. 036

Speak Silicon Valley Pivot: The moment you realize your initial business model is failing and you change to a different business model.

IS ALWAYS

Unlike most places in the world, in making). In fact, founders who fail well known because he openly Silicon Valley failure is expected here often become the heroes and embraced failure and shared his Books by Steve ANand revered. Just about everyone OPTION gurus for everyone else. Steve experiences with others about Blank here strives to hit it big, and totally Blank is a prime example of this. failure. >> understand that failure is just part He’s well known not because of of that journey (and the bets they’re how well his companies did. He’s

More on validation Can you take me through how you do your grocery shopping? ? be to learn as much as possible – and they will certainly tell you unexpected things that will send you back to the drawing board! 037

That is a good thing: learning is not about being right - it’s about VALIDATE uncovering the truths you did What is important to you when not know about. it comes down to banking?

(concept, design, build, test) and customers are and what their real ? ANDwhen TEST everything is done, the user problems are. What problems do why ARE BAD gets to see it and interact with it for they care about enough to really VALIDATE PRODUCTS the first time. Often with disastrous want to have them solved? ONLINE results : most of the products MADE? that are being created like this A more quantitative way to validate It’s because we have all sorts of don’t solve a real problem for the is by testing different options assumptions about our customers; customer, so they are not successful. GET OUT OF THE online. Companies in Silicon Valley ideas we believe to be true. We are BUILDING! test new ideas and products non- convinced that our customer has stop. problem X, and that we can solve it So, where to start? By getting out with product Y. VALIDATE of the building! Find your customer Did you know that Amazon pushes AS EARLY as and start asking simple open-ended code live every 12 seconds? That questions related to your idea, like way they can test a feature on 5,000 possible the ones on this page. users by turning it on for just 45 You can get around this seconds! This enables the waterfall When was the last time you went on problem by validating your them to change prices of failure a holiday? ideas early. That means, 2.5 million times a day This leads to a way of working testing your assumptions ? and generate more called “waterfall”: we spend hours with actual customers from the very revenue – just because Wizard of Oz building a product, going through start. These questions might feel a bit they are using customer insights. prototyping numerous phases in succession awkward, but you will be surprised Visit companies that might be inter- This helps you to by the answers. When talking to Howested do in you buying keep or track licensing of your your understand who your your customer, your goal should everydaytechnology appointments? I just saw you do X, can you tell me why you did that? ? ? Pieter Doevendans is the COO and co-founder of the startup Ava. Ava is an 038 app that captions what people say so deaf and hard-of-hearing people don’t have to miss out on the conversation.

So, Pieter, how did you end up in And how did you tackle that What did you find out while What was the riskiest assumption AVAthe Bay Area? question? WIZARDworking with Steve Blank? OFyou tested first? OZ PD: I came to Bay Area in 2013 to PD: We first started with a concept PD: We first designed our business PD: One of the riskiest assumptions Try out the Ava study for a semester at University for a glove that could translate model canvas and lean canvas and was related to accuracy. We wanted app of California Berkeley. During the sign language to voice. We had the identified all of our assumptions. to understand how important the semester, the concept for Ava opportunity to join Steve Blank’s Then, following the method of the accuracy of the translation was to started to emerge and together, class at Berkeley. It wasn’t easy to Lean Launchpad, we started to test our potential customers. There is with two others, I co-founded Ava. get in. everything we could think of. This a tradeoff between accuracy and test overload meant we got stuck speed when you develop a >> What did the beginning of your It was only when my team member in the administration of the test >> natural language app, and journey look like? said the magical words “we’re not results. We needed to be smarter. we needed to know if we could PD: From the beginning, we knew married to the glove”, that I knew sacrifice accuracy. what we wanted to achieve. We we had a good chance to get in. Therefore, we narrowed the wanted to find a way to include assumptions we wanted to test to How did you find out if your deaf and hard-hearing people as So, naturally, it was during this the riskiest ones, the assumptions assumption was correct? Did you part of group conversations. course that we pivoted the concept. that absolutely must be true in build another prototype? So the ‘why’ was clear from the We pivoted to an app that enables order for the concept to be viable. PD: Well, we needed to be smart start. But, in order to move forward, deaf people to read what is said. We only wanted to spend time and and we did not have the time to Continue we needed to figure out the ‘what’. effort validating those. build any technology, so rather than // AVA WIZARD OF OZ build a real version of the app to And what did your test reveal? test with, we decided to simulate PD: We repeated this test with the experience we were going for. multiple people and quickly learned that accuracy was not the PRETOTYPE 039 We wanted to setup the simplest most important. This test really possible experiment we could think helped our team to understand of to test the assumption with. where to place our focus. The BEFORE YOU most critical element was speed. What did the experiment look like? If it would take too long to read PROTOTYPE PD: We put two people in a room, what the other person said, it was As the example of Ava on your screen or a piece of paper? one deaf person and one hearing almost impossible to have a good demonstrates, prototyping and Take the simplest route to your lo-fi person, to have a conversation conversation. This test really helped experimenting are vital parts of prototype that you can think of. with each other. They would have our team to understand where to your design journey. Don’t think you Use anything around you. Perhaps the conversation using a Skype place their focus. can figure it all out in your head. you can use PowerPoint or Keynote chat as a mockup of the Ava app for that digital service prototype. on a tablet, where the deaf person What are the next steps for Ava? You need to prototype your designs If it’s a physical product, are there would be able to read what was PD: We launched our app and concepts, not just for your other things you can modify to said on the screen. November 2016, and are now doing customers, but also for yourself. And approximate the shape and weight? product iterations based on all the you need to be smart and scrappy And then we ‘cheated’: each hearing great feedback and insights we about it. Don’t start building. Start With every new stage of the person was wired and connected are generating every day. It’s very prototyping and experimenting! journey, familiarize yourself with to a person in another room (the rewarding to see the sometimes the design. The best way to do this ‘wizard of oz’) through skype, who very personal and grateful In any design process, it is vital that is to try it yourself. As a designer would type what was being said responses from the people who can the design team understand the and entrepreneur, you are your in the chat. The deaf person could benefit from the app. design as intimately as possible. own guinea pig. Prototyping it, and then follow the conversation live And just like scrappy experiments interacting with it, will give you on the screen. can help you validate assumptions, many more ideas about how you low fidelity prototypes can help might solve problems, how your you and your team gain that crucial customers will react, and what understanding. your next steps will be. If you are designing a product, it’s best to use What are you creating? How does the prototype, as your customers it work? How does it feel? If it’s a would, first. If you’re designing a digital service, how might you mock process or a service, you are its first it up quickly, to see it come to life user. 040 IF YOU ARE NOT EMBARRASSED BY THE FIRST VERSION OF YOUR PRODUCT, YOU LAUNCHED TOO

LATE! The best places $> Reid Hoffman | Founder, Linkedin for a meeting SAN FRANCISCO Blue Bottle Coffee 66 Mint Street San Francisco 041 Mezzarine Coffee 720 Market Street THE BEST San Francisco

Red Door Café Sightglass Coffee 1608 Bush Street 270 7th Street PLACES San Francisco San Francisco Secret Tip #1 HanaHaus See dot com millionaires pickup 456 University Avenue their hand-roasted beans FOR A Palo Alto Philz Coffee Rosewood Sand Hill 101 Forest Avenue 2825 Sand Hill Road Palo Alto Menlo Park MEETING Secret Tip #2 Konditorei Sand Hill Road is the 3130 Alpine Road Venture Capital epicenter Portola Valley

Red Rock Coffee Buck’s of Woodside 201 Castro Street 3062 Woodside Road Mountain View Woodside

Secret Tip #3 Sunnyvale Art Gallery “There’s no VC deal without that 251 El Camino Real Buck’s of Woodside meal” Sunnyvale

Coffee Society Unlike in The Netherlands, a lot of Coffee places are also a great 21265 Stevens Creek Blvd Cupertino meetings take place outside of the to meet new people, start to I need a office. It is very common to meet in understand the eco system. Get stronger drink Barefoot Coffee a coffee place, instead of meeting caffeinated to get over your jetlag, 1819 S Bascom Ave Campbell at someone’s office. Especially or get some work done while the initial meeting. If they are you are waiting for your next B2 interested to take the next step appointment. And unlike anywhere 87 N San Pedro Street San Jose with you, that is when you might be else in the US, the Bay Area does Stranger in a invited to their office. have really great quality coffee. Strange Land SAN JOSE 042

$> Maarten van Lieshout | Creative Director | Thirty X

Read ‘the Tipping STRANGER Point’, M. Gladwell IN A STRANGE

When you travel, you pack a picture in my head. Prompted by The moment I arrived at SFO, I LANDsuitcase or trolley with everything Hollywood, by human nature, by the realized that my picture-perfect you think you’ll need during your many blogs I had read: a valley of image of Silicon Valley might be stay abroad. Yet, inadvertently, you smartness, a daily life of gadgets, slightly off: a stuffy outdated airport also take stuff with you won’t need: autonomous cars in the streets. with a depressing color scheme of assumptions, compartmentalization, browns, off-whites and beiges. With projection. It’s luggage that will Reading on, you might think: this customs officers who’d rather see weigh you down on your journey is a pessimistic story. Why did you you leave then to bid you welcome. and might even blind you for the go? The eventual point I want to good stuff. make is not one of pessimism and And where did all the smart tech disillusions. It’s one of contrasts and go? Where is my promised land of On my first trip to San Francisco, the real strength of Silicon Valley. many opportunities? >> Continue Silicon Valley, I had this perfect So bear with me.

Photo: Bas Uterwijk 043

>> It took me a couple of days to shitload of money on your bank to guard our opportunities. And up to you to be a Medici family (in realize that in Silicon Valley it is not account, for them, is not status, it is you’re certainly not going to share your head). Silicon Valley is a great the bricks and mortar that matter. proof of concept. your network with others, just like spot to do that. that. God forbid, others might grow It is the pockets of people that are This implies that, to become (without you profiting). Be honest: By all means, follow your looking to change the world, it is successful, you need to set others we tend to fly more solo. preplanned itinerary but also do a the way they interact and challenge up for success as well. Never fly little exploring on the side. each other. It is the coffee shops solo. I’ve noticed how excited they So, I arrived with a meetings packed (not to be confused with the get by motivated people, people agenda, with my preconceived Start immersing yourself in the Dutch interpretation) where rebels with a plan. And if you are that notions and curiosity. Instead of just pool of unorthodox thinkers. Start talk shop. It is the hot spots like person: with a point of view and a focusing on that, I decided to also collecting unexpected approaches, TechShop, WeWork or HanaHouse goal, they are more than willing to make room for the unexpected. ideas, otherworldly connections. I’ll where unorthodox minds converge. help you make it happen. They will bet you’ll be having awesome ideas And that makes much more sense open their network for you, help It is really these unscheduled and invigorating plans of action on when you realize that the west you create opportunities, for you to encounters that ended up making your flight back to the Netherlands. coast has always been a place with accept with open arms. Opportunity my stay in Silicon Valley worth my people looking to change society, begets more opportunities. It is very while: new contacts, new ideas, new I could tell you mine, but I’d prefer who disagreed with the status quo, contagious. opportunities, new perspectives. comparing and sharing them with weary of blind obedience. you as soon as you’re back! This “Let’s make it happen! I will To compare: the Medici family in There is a strong drive to become connect you to this and this person. Venice brought together different > Maarten is Creative successful as an individual and as Let’s meet now!” seems to me a very disciplines, arts and professions. Director at Design studio an entrepreneur. Not necessarily un-Dutch thing. In the Netherlands This led to great wealth and even Thirty-X. He works in Bars in San becoming a millionaire. Having a (or Europe in general) we tend better a culture of innovation. It is Amsterdam and San Francisco. Francisco Tips from 044 the local BARS IN SAN Dutchies

San Francisco has a buzzing bar FRANSISCOscene. There are a lot of amazing places where you can drink Hog Island Oyster Co artfully crafted cocktails in a 1 Ferry Building – Local oysters & clams retro decorated speak-easy. Have are washed down with craft beer at this the latest new beer from a local popular waterside seafood eatery. brewery at a hipster bar or meet Marloes van Schaijk – Osborne Clark interesting people in a dive bar. Golden Gate Tap Room 449 Powell Street – Sprawling spot with Bourbon & Branch retro furnishings featuring 100+ beers 501 Jones Street – a glimpse back Wybe Schutte - Newzoo in the era of Prohibition. Make sure you have a reservation, or go the 21st Amendment Brewery Lone Palm Library bar entrance where the 563 2nd Street – Housemade brews, 3394 22nd Street – Low-key secret code is ‘books’. pub grub & brunch Mission martini bar with mood Maaike Doyer – Business Models Inc Klaas Broekhuizen – Correspondent FD lighting, art deco fixtures & Black Cat lounging areas. Do you speak Derk de Korver – Google 400 Eddy Street – Swanky jazz Did you know the Martini and Silicon Valley? lounge and cocktail bar. Make sure the Pisco Punch were originally El Techo you have a reservation for the invented in San Francisco? 2516 Mission Street – Rooftop bar basement area. Pieter Doevendans – Ava Coen Tijhof – Adyen Video: do you have to live in SF?

Graphic: Thirty X based on Google Maps content 045

ONLINE VIDEO

TECHCRUNCH MONEY TALKS DO YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO TO skip video BE AN ENTREPRENEUR? and continue Photo: Video on Youtube his own game technology. His decent life for 1 to 2 years without take their offer. This was obviously $> Tommy Krul | Co-founder, dream was to create a multi-player an income. It is crucial to have a tough decision to make. Do Super Evil MegaCorp game that was truly fun to play. Not these savings. We worked on the you shoot for the moon or take just as a one-off, but fun to play for development fulltime for a year the Ferrari? So in the end, while 046 Super Evil MegaCorp develops years. trying different approaches as we figuring out how to proceed, we did games for mobile. Their most went. contract work for a period to earn famous game is eSports game How do you look back on the years some money. Vainglory for which they received you spent founding and building While we learned a lot, we top game development honors, your company? ultimately failed, mainly because And how did you eventually make including Apple’s “Best App” in 2014 TK: A lot of people don’t realize we were unwilling to take venture your vision come together? and 2015. Founded by a Dutchie, how long it takes to get a startup money. We were afraid to lose TK: After about a year we took Tommy Krul, Super Evil Mega Corp going. I really had no idea where control and believed we could another shot. We realized almost

Play Vainglory on your iPad

is based in San Mateo and raised to start in the beginning. I believed simply start small. Not to mention immediately that we didn’t have the $41 million investment in the past in my vision and in my technology. the investment ecosystem is pretty business skills to pull it off. two years. But I learned that is not just about daunting. We didn’t even know We found our third co-founder, visions and technology. In fact I where to start. Bo Daly. We now had the three Tommy Krul started his career spent more time failing than I did pillars the company needed. It is so in the gaming industry in The succeeding at first. After a year we were really running important to round out the DNA of Netherlands. In 2006 he was out of money and had to do the company. recruited for a job at a gaming When I met my co-founder, Stephan something. One company offered company in Silicon Valley and made Sherman, we decided to take to buy our technology, including us. I know many people are hesitant to the decision to make the move. our startup to the next level and They even offered us both Ferraris! bring on new co-founders, but you While working at various gaming quit our fulltime jobs to do so. I We started the negotiations with are screwed if you don’t have all Continue companies, he started to develop saved enough money to ensure a them, but eventually decided not to your bases covered. At the >> // SUPER EVIL MEGACORP

>> same time you really need to Most importantly, don’t accept lives with our games. We even know investors check, in name of Super be certain about your co-founders; ‘dumb’ money. Realize you will start married couples that met through Evil MegaCorp. you’re basically marrying them. at the kiddies’ table. Raise some our game! money, learn from the process and $> Tommy Krul is co-founder 047 We continued the development. We move to the next table for your And, the most important question: and CTO of Super Evil Mega- deliberately designed for this game. next round of funding. And make Why the name Super Evil Corp. He lives in San We realized it was an expensive sure you prepare for your board MegaCorp? Francisco. investment so we needed external meetings. That is vital. Don’t try TK: It started as a joke. There are money and we started looking for to hide things. Don’t polish reality. so many (gaming) companies funding. Bring the message and make sure out there that make you you have a clear path. Have an addicted to a game and What’s your advice for startups that answer to every single question then start to milk you. look for funding in Silicon Valley? they ask. That was exactly the TK: My advice for other startups company we did that look for funding is this: find an What was your breakthrough not want to create. investor that truly gets your vision, moment? So we named our even if that means you will get TK: Our breakthrough happened in company Super less money. You will learn you are 2014. Apple noticed we launched Evil MegaCorp wrong in some ways. That’s okay. our pilot in Singapore and we got because it is the Super Evil But you need to be able to keep the the opportunity to be on stage with exact opposite of Megacorp investors on board by explaining Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, during the what we wanted how you’ll achieve your vision. If presentation of the launch of the the company to be. you all stick to the vision you can iPhone 6. This was definitely a once make it. in a lifetime experience. I still remember the look on the face We were rewarded for all our insane of the cashier that hard work. I am so proud of our cashed our first company and where we are today. $1 million We’ve really influenced peoples’

Speak Silicon Valley

Photo: Tommy Krul Pivot The moment you realize your initial business model is 048 SPEAK failing and you change to a different business model. Unicorn A (tech) startup company that reaches a $1 billion dollar Hey Siri, what the heck did he just say? market value as determined by private or public investment.

SILICON Failing Forward Turning mistakes you made into stepping stones to success.

Design Thinking Everything moves fast in Silicon If you want to learn more about A methodology (not only for designers) that helps VALLEYValley. How can you avoid looking Silicon Valley speak, check out people understand and develop creative ways to like a tourist? Use the right the Silicon Valley Dictionary, take solve a specific issue, generally business oriented. words! This will also help you the quiz at Silicon Valley Speak, understand what the other person or order the book Valley Speak by actually means. The following Rochelle Kopp and Steven Ganz. Pretotyping overview will get you started. The art and science of faking it before making it, where “it” refers to Take the Valley Lean (Startup) an innovative product or service. Speak quiz Methodology for developing businesses and products, aiming to shorten de- velopment cycles Read the book through the core Build-Measure- Learn feedback loop. MVP “Valley Speak”

API Minimum Viable Product, a product with Application Programming Interface, used to just enough features to gather validated Online Silicon allow other companies to use a service, e.g. learning about the anticipated end product. Valley Dictionary google maps data (as we have for page 10). Ponytail Bias Bootstrapped When you automatically assume someone is a great Building your startup without external investment. engineer because of their ponytail. This bias most often occurs with men who also have metal glasses frames Beyond and a beard that goes down to their neck. tech 049

BEYOND

Though most startups that visit If you start to expand your TECH– and perhaps move to – Silicon worldview a bit beyond tech, one of Valley focus first and foremost on the first things you’ll see here are tech solutions, there is another side lots and lots of makers, and maker to Silicon Valley (and the Bay Area communities. In fact, the maker at large) that goes beyond tech. movement has its roots in Silicon After all, while there may be an app Valley. >> for everything, apps indeed are NOT Continue everything.

Photo: Erik van der Pluijm // BEYOND TECH

>> Starting with the popular TV , which “brings together copper rivets. Strauss and Davis left a mixture of powder flavored Festival show, , which different people, communities, and patented ‘riveted pants’ in 1873 and soda water with a stir stick outside, Myth Busters was filmed on Treasure Island neighborhoods” to design and make the modern jeans were born. to find it frozen a day later. In 1922 (in San Francisco), as well as the more vibrant and engaging public he served his ice lollipops at a ball, 050 , which is now spaces along Market Street, the - Where the and he patented his invention. Maker Faire fortune cookies global, and , one of main thoroughfare. fortune cookies really come from TechShop the first modern maker spaces in is unclear. A Japanese immigrant - Invented slot machines existence, people in the Bay Area Through experimentation and Makoto Hagiwara, working as around the 1890’s by San Francisco have been interesting in making prototyping (i.e. making) people a gardener in the Japanese Tea car mechanic Charles Fey. He physical stuff for a long time. from all walks of life and various Garden in Golden Gate Park, is connected the characterizing Bell organizations are taking it upon reported to have been the first to the machine and it was a huge Sure, some of that is also connected themselves to create a better person in the USA to serve a cookie success. Fey couldn’t keep up with to tech, such as Square’s magstripe future, through making. with a little thank you note in the demand and it was copied reader (for scanning and processing them. Do visit Golden Gate Fortune quickly by many slot machine credit cards on iPhones), which And this ingenuity and drive for Cookie Factory on 56 Ross Alley manufacturers. was conceived and prototyped at innovation aren’t new things. Some when you are in Chinatown. TechShop in San Francisco. classics that we all know and love - The modern version waterbed actually come from San Francisco. - The predecessor as we know it was designed by juke box But, beyond the tech making, there of the Juke Box was called “The Charles Hall in 1968 while he was is also some great - The first cable car nickel-in-the-slot phonograph”! a design student at San Francisco conceptual Cable Cars and other everyday inventions in the world ran down Clay Street and installed at San Francisco’s State University. art that are being made by everyday in 1873. The wire rope that is used Palais Royale Saloon in 1889. It people with a dream. for the cable car mechanics was was invented shortly after the A fun fact is that, when Charles invented by Andrew Smith Hallidie, ‘phonograph’ by Thomas Edison. applied for a U.S. patent on the Some of this you’ll find in local an immigrant in California who invention, he was denied based on shops, such as , in San was a gold miner, a black smith and - Also called a wall a “prior art” conflict. What prior art, Perch murphy bed Francisco’s Glen Park neighborhood. builder of bridges. bed or pull down bed. The first exactly, depicted Hall’s invention? Other, possibly cooler made objects patent was applied for around the None other than the science fiction and artwork, can be found right - Sturdy working 1900s by William L. Murphy, living masterpiece Stranger in a Strange DENIM jeans on the street. See those giant pants were needed for the gold in a one-room apartment on Bush Land by sci-fi great Robert Heinlein. sculptures? miners. Levi Strauss came to the Street in San Francisco. Sometimes, even San Franciso heart-shaped Those are all creations of local idea to create pants out of canvas. needs to play catch up with the makers and artists. In fact, San Jacob Davis discovered the canvas - An invention by 11 future. popsicles Francisco holds an annual pants could be improved if the year old Frank Epperson from San What side are Market Street weak spot were strengthened by Francisco in 1905. By accident he Prototyping you on? SO, WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON? 051

Cheese, stroopwafels Vegan Gluten Free 1 2 3 4 5 "Doe maar gewoon dan doe je al gek genoeg!" "I have a great idea for a startup!" NL 1 2 3 4 5 CA A 'six' is good enough Think big 1 2 3 4 5 Avoid risk! Risk is good! 1 2 3 4 5 "Yes but..." there is always a barrier "Yes and!" everything is possible 1 2 3 4 5

Keep it secret! Share your ideas! 1 2 3 4 5

In my job I value a long term contract above everything They can fire me on the spot if I can be flexible as well 1 2 3 4 5 Stay a little Life long career Serial entrepreneur longer 1 2 3 4 5

No insurance? That's crazy Dog eat dog Moving to 1 2 3 4 5 Silicon Valley "Are you sure that is a smart decision?" (Everyone:) "I totally support you!" 1 2 3 4 5

Just say what you think 1 2 3 4 5 Etiquette for conversations

‘Gezellig’, drink beer to talk 1 2 3 4 5 Go for dinner and watch the sports channel

Count your score

< Cheesehead! 20 Are you sure? 30 More than welcome! 40 You’ll fit right in! 50 Start packing! > Only in San Francisco

Photo: Creative Commons / Unsplash.com ONLY IN SAN FRANCISCO 052 SELFDRIVING AUTONOMOUS TAXIUBER DADS WITH DRONES UBER, WWW.UBER.COM SOUTH OF POINT LOBOS, SAN FRANCISCO

HACK YOUR BRAIN BUILD A ROBOT NOOTROBOX, 950 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO Photo:926 AutodeskHOWARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO

WALK ACROSS STANFORD CAMPUS WALK STANFORD CAMPUS ROBO LUNCH 450 SERRA MALL, STANFORD EATSA, 121 SPEAR ST, SAN FRANCISCO

FUTURE GALLERY DISCOVER STREET ART The other side of AUTODESK GALLERY, SAN FRANCISCO AROUND 16TH AND MISSION, SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco

Photos: Public Domain THE OTHER 053 SIDE OF SILICON VALLEY >> Read More

Continue

Photo: Erik van der Pluijm 054

THE OTHER SIDE OF

SILICONon approach, Tumml provides VALLEY At its core, Tumml is an accelerator When you get to San Francisco, entrepreneurs with the tools that provides resources to early- look for the green and black vans LIFE BEYOND to help scale their impact and stage, urban-focused startups from with the name “Chariot” printed on THE UNICORNS enhance quality of life in cities across the US. The resources that the windows. Tumml was an early everywhere.” Tumml provides are flexible funding investor in Chariot, a commuter Most entrepreneurs coming to and mentorship; connections with shuttle service that builds better Silicon Valley are looking for their other founders, policy makers, transit routes by learning commuter proverbial pot of gold. However, and investors; as well as thought habits and preferences – which was when you get here – or live here THE GAP IN THE leadership (in the social venture just acquired by Ford for more than – you’ll notice there are lots of ACCELERATOR space). $65M USD. Same goes for Parko, people focused not just on profit, which was acquired by EasyPark. but also on the planet and the MARKET people that live on it. What’s perhaps most interesting While you’re here, in Silicon Valley, about Tumml is also the thing that A SOCIAL WAY OF keep an open mind. Perhaps the In fact, there are hundreds of social makes many other well-known DOING BUSINESS next big investment will be for a ventures that call the Bay Area startups interesting: Tumml found social cause. home. Once such social venture a gap in the market which its You might think, “Ok, so Tumml is is Tumml, whose mission is to founders are uniquely positioned to doing some nice things. But, surely “empower entrepreneurs to solve address. they’re not making money like other Stay a little urban problems. With a hands- accelerators.” Think again! longer 055 Stay A Little

LongerGreat Weekend Trips While You’re Here

If you haven’t looked at a map in a the cooler weekend trips you might while, think about this: California is consider as inspiration. more than 11 times the size of the Netherlands. And, California is just People living and working in Silicon one of 50 states in the US. In other Valley have a totally different words, California is huge! mindset when it comes to trips. They go on trips and weekends Given its vastness, there is a ton to away all the time! Emulate their do and be inspired by while you’re lifestyle and take one too! >> Continue here. On the next page are some of

Photo: Creative Commons / Unsplash.com Ride bikes, drink wine And picnic in Sonoma. Sonoma, and its better-known sister, Napa 056 Valley, are known the world over for some of the great wines produced in this region. But, did you know that Sonoma is only a 1-hour drive from San Francisco? For a cool full- day trip or short overnighter, rent a car and drive up to Healdsburg, about 70 miles north of San Francisco. Once there, rent a bike from Spoke Folk Cyclery or Wine Country Bikes and take a wine tasting tour of the Dry Creek Valley. Just don’t drink (too much) and ride. Hit the road Eat and (day) drink like a local Something many visitors, especially Dutchies, find interesting/funny, is that San Drive highway 1 from San Francisco Francisco is a big time drinking town. But, just as interesting, most of the bars to LA. Most people who travel to San in San Francisco close between midnight and 2AM. But that’s okay. San Francisco assume they can take a Franciscans prefer day drinking anyway! What’s day drinking? If you’re here quick day trip to Los Angeles. If you’re on a Saturday or Sunday when there is halfway decent weather, grab a six- flying, maybe. LA is more than 400 pack of beer, a bottle of wine, or anything else that floats your boat, and miles from San Francisco. But, this head to Dolores Park. You’ll find people there drinking and socializing makes for a perfect weekend road trip. starting at about 10:30AM. The best part: no late night burrito guilt! Rent a car in San Francisco, or at SFO, and drive the famous highway 1 all of the way to San Luis Obispo, where it Hit the slopes in Tahoe intersects with the 101, shooting you Visiting Silicon Valley in the colder months (i.e. winter), consider a straight to LA. Along the way you’ll short trip (3-hour drive) to some of Lake Tahoe’s legendary ski see some amazing stuff! resorts. While Tahoe resorts are nothing like European ski villages, Tahoe does boast some terrific conditions, awesome snow, and great terrain parks (if you’re into that sort of thing). Meet your new friend: Karl

Photo: Creative Commons / Unsplash.com 057

MEET Karl The Fog @KarlTheFog Fogtober Fogember KARL Foguary (coming up!)

Follow Karl

One thing about the weather in San Rather than complain about Francisco will probably surprise you. the weather phenomenon, San Because of the position close to the Franciscans choose to see the ocean, hardly a day goes by without bright side so to speak. And created And it doesn’t stop there. Karl account – he actually has more than fog rolling into the city. And not just a special place in their hearts for is active on social media, and 181K followers, beating the mayor What to do after any fog.This fog has a name: Karl. their opaque, damp friend. (of course) has an active twitter of San Francisco! your trip

Photo: Creative Commons / Unsplash.com 058 PART 3: AFTER

SHARE YOUR JOURNEY WITH THE TEAM YOUR How to capture and share your trip

DUTCHIES IN THE VALLEY In coming to Silicon Valley you’ll Quotes by Dutchies have learned and experienced a TRIPlot. It would be a shame not to MOVING TO SILICON VALLEY use what you’ve learned to your Practical tips and insights advantage. Use these last few pages as inspiration to create the impact FOLLOW UP you desire. You’ll be glad you did! Plan your next trip

LAST WORDS BY THE CONSUL Take me to the last chapter! 2. have live 4. create updates shared actions 059 SHARE THE Tweet and check-in (to Facebook or Define your most important actions another social network) often. after your trip to Silicon Valley. Don’t execute them on your own. Better yet, tweet photos and add a Share the actions with your team journey trip-specific hashtag! members. That way they will be engaged with the follow up. Doing this during your trip will help WITH your to create an ongoing conversation By following the previous three with your team and will likely get steps you already inoculated them followers to notice and possibly with the Silicon Valley mindset. provide new recommendations (or home TEAM open new doors). Make sure to keep this mindset alive while executing your defined action points. Don’t get side tracked by the day-to-day business, stay focused on your future! capture your 1. Take lots of 3. organize a trip! pictures chalk talk Who will join you next time you If you haven’t moved to Silicon Take lots and lots of photos and Perhaps most importantly, put visit Silicon Valley? Valley yet, you’re probably going to videos and post or sync these to together a short presentation or eventually have to go home and tell Google Photos, Flickr, Facebook, or chalk talk and schedule some time The Storytelling your team about what you learned. whatever your favorite online photo with your team to lead them down Canvas This is not going to be easy. app happens to be. the path that you’ve taken.

One way to do this is to use the You can easily share an online They key here is that you want Storytelling Canvas. But even if photo album ahead of time with to infuse them with knowledge you use that, you’re going to need your team so that they get a sense thereby sparking their interesting in to be very visual in telling your of what you’re experiencing. Photos designing a new future together… story. There’s simply too much here – and even more so videos – will whether that future is in Silicon and words won’t drill down the help you recall interesting findings. Valley or not. Dutchies about experience! living here I love the different types Everyone here is a true of office spaces. There global citizen. Everyone are offices with bicycle repair shops, understands a single right solution a cinema, and even a candy store. It does not exist. Our mantra is ‘stop 060 is fascinating to see the ‘standing the talking, start the doing’. Get shit “in line’ culture. For the real good done,“ build, learn and iterate. places, people stand in line for over $> Maaike Doyer QUOTES an hour, just for a meal. | Business Models Inc FROM $> Wybe Schutte | Newzoo

The positive vibe! Speak SiliconI love the vibe…the Valley energy you Everyone is there to DUTCHIES Pivot: Thesee moment iin love everything. you the realize Everyonevibe... your has initial support your dream to “Go do it!” businessthe model thedrive energyis to failing achieve you and see something. you in change It’s While in The Netherlands people IN THE to a differentinfectious.everything. business Everyonemodel. has the say, “Are you sure?” This area is also drive to achieve something. Walhalla for outdoor sports. I go $> Marloes van Schaijk “ It’s infectious. swimming in the Bay, or within 30 | Osborne Clark minutes you are in cycling paradise. $> Marloes van Schaijk | Osborne Clark $> Derk de Korver | Google VALLEYWe go on weekend YOLO! Make it count trips much more often. and enjoy every day. In It is so interesting to Within 30 minutes you are in the Silicon Valley we talk about work- This is such a dynamic be on top of everything most beautiful, natural settings. life integration, instead of work-life place to be. Everyone that is happening. You can be the These really enrich life. I still have balance. People create the freedom shoots for the moon. Nobody settles first one to try everything. I love it. difficulties“ with the number of to“ allow themselves to explore. for the average. Even when people Next to that, nature and outdoor homeless people. The difference $> Ronald Goossens | ASML have just been to Stanford or life“ is amazing. There isn’t a single between poor and rich is extreme. Berkeley for two weeks, they want day that you won’t go outside. The “ $> Monique van Schaïk | eBay to start a company. It is within the sun is always shining. walls here. $> Remco van den Elzen $> Klaas Broekhuizen | Entrepreneur | Correspondent FD

Moving to Silicon Valley Don’t hesitate to contract a who can help you make lawyer the right decision about what type Cost of Social of entity is best for you. 061 Practical Tips Rocket Lawyer specializes in living security setting up US entities for Moving to The first thing to wrap your head the Valley! around is this: Silicon Valley is one number of the most expensive areas in the Get your Social Security Number world. The cost of living is about (SSN) ASAP. This number is crucial triple that of The Netherlands. within the US. Everything is connected to your SSN. It is hard Banking The cost of a one bedroom in San to even get a simple subscription Banking in the US is still more Francisco starts at about $3000 per without it. focused on building a personal moving month. relationship in a branch instead on You can apply for your SSN while the convenience of online banking. applying for your visa, or you can out to visit a Social Security Office nearby. There are only a few banks that Official site for the Social will allow you to open an account silicon Security Office without having a SSN. People still VISA use checks in some cases, and There are many different types of businesses pay invoices by paper valley business visas. An overview of the checks in the mail. You’ve been to Silicon Valley a most common visas is listed on the couple of times and are expanding Holland in the Valley website. Transferring money locally easily your local network; there are clear us legal takes a week, unless you are willing business opportunities. It’s time to It is pretty complicated, so don’t to pay a $40 wire fee. If you still do move! try to do this on your own and entity business with Europe, make sure hire an immigration . Be Setting up US legal entity for your you select an international bank, lawyer Moving to another country is not aware the process generally takes business is vital to make business to save you a lot of headaches. In easy. You will run into a lot of between 3 and 6 months. easier. There are different types of short, be patient. >> bureaucracy and things you are Visa information on the legal entities to consider. All are completely unfamiliar with. Silicon Holland in the Valley site easy to set up online, for example Valley is no exception. through Rocket Lawyer. Continue

// MOVING TO SILICON VALLEY

well you deal with credit. Getting people who move abroad, Oom tax report is pretty simple, in the a credit card without having credit Insurance is one of them. They also US you do need an accountant history is almost impossible. The offer all other types of insurance. to do the filing for you, both for housing catch is, you won’t have one. Oom Insurance specializes in your company and for your personal 062 One-bedroom apartments in San insurance for Dutch expats income taxes. Francisco start around $3,000. Ask your bank for a ‘secured’ credit There is a huge demand and the card. They will probably give you a market moves fast. Typically a new credit card with a limit of $500 to listing is gone in just a couple of $1,000. Start using it and within days. It is not as organized as you about 6 months you will be able have seen in The Netherlands. to apply for a regular credit card. If drivers Lawyers? you don’t use it, your credit score Craigslist is the go to resource for will be bad. license accoun- housing. Narrow down your options The state of California does not of cities or neighborhoods first. In If you have been using American recognize international drivers tants? most Bay Area cities, properties Express in The Netherlands, you licenses for residents. That means built before 1979 will be ‘rent can apply for an American Express you need to get your California HELP! controlled’ which means the rent card here as well. Call them and tell drivers license. Visit the DMV When you go looking for lawyers can only increase with a small them they have to take your history website for more information. or accountants to help you out, the percentage every year. into account. That will give you Visit the DMV (District of Dutch Consulate can connect you to Housing (and lots more) can more flexibility. Motor Vehicles) service providers directly. be found on Craigslist Find out how the credit rating system works Please send an email to SFN-EA@ minbuza.nl with your inquiry or visit the Holland in the Valley website.

Trusted service providers on taxes the Holland in the Valley site Credit There is no such thing as VAT in the insurance US. There is sales tax. But that is cards Health Insurance in the US will cost only charged to goods sold to the In the US it is all about your on average $500 per month. For end user. Corporate tax and Income personal ‘credit score’. it tells banks most, it will be covered through tax can be pretty complicated and how credit-worthy you are. This the company. There are a few there are two systems you need to has nothing to do with your bank insurance companies that specialize take into account, Federal and State. Prepare your balance, and everything with how in providing insurance to Dutch While in The Netherlands filing your next trip Hope you 063 enjoyed

the ride! Ready for your nexttrip?

End your trip

Photo: Creative Commons / Unsplash.com 064

you are here

Welcome back home!

The end of the line The Consulate General of The Netherlands 065 in San Francisco

The main purpose of the Holland in the Valley: helping How the Consulate can Please contact us if you have Consulate in San Francisco entrepreneurs and startups help you any further questions or when you would like to schedule an The main purpose of the One of the initiatives is The Consulate can help to open appointment via SFN-EA@ Consulate on San Francisco is Holland in the Valley that helps doors for Dutch entrepreneurs minbuza.nl. to strengthen economic ties entrepreneurs and startups when coming to Silicon Valley. between the 13 Western States in Silicon Valley and the The objective of this Silicon Visit the Holland in the and The Netherlands, including Netherlands exchange ideas, Valley Playbook is to be even Valley website the Bay Area. advice, information, and business better prepared. The more opportunities. specific your needs are, the The Consulate in San Francisco is better we can support you. Lost your passport or other one of the four Dutch Consulates, It has an active network of consular problems? who together with the embassy local entrepreneurs, corporates, The Consulate can also help you in Washington service Dutch investors and consultants. with consular affairs. Economic interest in the USA. The intent is to foster an Where to find more More about the Dutch environment in which American information and how to get in Consulates in the USA and Dutch companies can touch build new relationships and find new partners by fostering For more information and cross-border collaboration and experience outside of this exchange to help startups and playbook we recommend established business from the entrepreneurs to visit our online Netherlands find their way in forums on Holland in the Valley Silicon Valley. to connect and exchange ideas. 066 Let’s make things happen!

Our aim with this first edition of the Silicon Valley Playbook is to make your journey to Silicon Valley more successful!

But, it’s not just us who have this goal in mind. We had a lot of help putting this together. I want to thank everyone that contributed to the Silicon Valley Playbook and ultimately made it happen. It’s impressive to see how so many Dutch people within Silicon Valley were willing to cooperate and contribute to the Silicon Valley Playbook. The community here truly values supporting other entrepreneurs in order to enable them to become more successful.

The Consulate supports Dutch companies that do business in the USA and supports American companies that invest in The Netherlands. This playbook supports these goals.

In case you have any suggestions on this Playbook, please contact us at [email protected].

Gerbert Kunst Consul General

Photo: Consulate of The Netherlands Photo: Public Domain Before DURING AFTER Your Your Your Trip Trip Trip

Back to the start 069